Shoe shaping machine



May 15, 1934.

R. H. GRIER El AL SHOE SHAPING MACHINE Filed March 20} 1951 FIG. 21.

lNvEN Tol s, Ralph H. Pier .Erachs ATTORNEY.

Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE SHAPING MACHINE Application March 20, 1931, Serial No. 524,165

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for use in shaping shoes, boots, and the like, and comprises a'imachine for applying pressure to predetermined areas of formed and finished shoes or foot-wear so that the same may be shaped to more accurately fit the foot of the wearer. The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a mechanically operated device for use on the shoes, whereby the same may be artificially shaped to correspond to the deformities of the human foot and to provide comfort to those who have callouses, bunions, corns, fallen arches, malformed heels, and' other afiiictions.

The invention more specifically comprises a machine suitably supported on a base, work supporting means movable within guide means, means coacting with the work support to permit application of pressure to a portion of a shoe placed therebetween, and pressure means sup- 0 ported on the base adapted to apply pressure to the work support means and move the same in the guide means, all of which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In accordance with the provisions of the statutes, a specific embodiment is described herein,

but it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

In the drawing.

- Figure 1 is a view in elevation of an embodiment of our invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1 with a shoe positioned in the same.

Figure 3 is a plan sectional view along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 represents a suitable standard having a base 2 carrying the working frame 3 provided with a guide yoke 4 and a pivoted pressure resisting member 5. The member 5 is pivoted at 6 to the frame 3 and carries 9. depending pressure receiving plate 7. At the free or swinging end of member 5, a latch 8 is eccentrically pivoted at 9 and is adapted to coact with the locking pin 10, the latter being secured on the frame 3. The base 2 supports thereon the hydraulic pressure casing 11 having piston means 12 therein, which piston means is provided with a plunger 13 operable to contact and apply pressure to the shank 14 of the work support 15. The shank 14 is movable within the guide means 4 but is prevented from rotating by the key 16. The work support 15 is provided with a number of openings or sockets 17, into which one or more molds or enlargements 18 are adapted to be adjustably positioned. The hydraulic pressure means is actuated by a handle 19 secured to the spindle 20. The specific construction of the hydraulic pressure pump and accessories thereto forms no part of the present invention.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

The pressure resisting member 5 is unlatched from the pin 10 and swung upwardly about its pivot 6 to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. A suitable mold or enlargement 18 is positioned on the work support 15, in accordance with a predetermined deformation which is desired in the shoe to be shaped. A shoe is placed over the work support as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2. The pressure resisting member 5 is then looked in closed position by means of the latch 8. The handle 9 is forcibly moved back and forth through an are about the spindle 20 and pressure is thus built up in the hydraulic pump causing the plunger 13'to move in an upward direction and press the shank 14 carrying the work support against the pressure receiving complemental member 7. This action thus forcibly compresses and densifies the shoe between the work support and the plate 7, thus causing the shoe to be shaped in accordance with the configuration of the working surface of the mold' and in proportion to the pressure applied. The formation of recesses and enlargements on shoe insoles, for example, by application of pressure and the use of predetermined adjustably positioned molds on a work support are shown and described in Reissue Patent 17,914, bearing the date of December 30, 1930, and in copending application, bearing the serial number of 478,205, filed August 27, 1930.

It will be understood that any suitable type of work support may be used in our apparatus, and any suitable enlargement may be positioned thereon to change the shape of any part of a shoe, or' the like, to correct and compensate foot deformities. For example, we may place a suitableenlargement 'on the work support to correct or modify the arch supporting portion of the shoe. In such case, the complemental member 7 may have a. configuration of working surface other than shown in the drawing. As shown in Figure. 1, the plate '7 is integral with the member 5, but we may also have the same screw threaded therein so that it may be replaced with a complemental plate of any desired curvature or shape of working surface.

The hydraulic pressure means may work with i any operative liquid, such as water, oil, or

glycerine, and it is conceivable that such pressuremeans may be replaced by its well-known equivalents.

It will thus be seen that we have provided an eflicient and effective device for quickly shaping a shoe with the expenditure of a minimum amount of energy by the operator. We also are able to control the proportion of supplied energy in accordance with the amount of pumping that is done. 1

We claim:

1. In a shoe machine for shaping and breaking in shoes, a base member, a working frame provided with a yoke supported on the base member, a pressure resisting member pivoted to the working frame and detachably secured thereto, an anvil for supporting a shoe and carrying a shank movable and guided in said yoke, means on said anvil for adjustably positioning an enlargement thereon, and hydraulic pressure means supported on the base and operative to movably force the anvil shank in a direction toward the pressure resisting member.

2. A shoe machine for shaping and breaking in shoes, including a working frame provided with a yoke midway between the top and bottomof the same, a complemental member pivoted at one end to the working frame and detachably secured at the other end to the working frame, an anvil formed complemental to a portion of a shoe sole and having a shank movably guided in said yoke in a direction normal to the complemental member when the same is in locked position, manually operated hydraulicpressure means mounted below the yoke and adapted to force the anvil into contact with the complemental member.

3. An apparatus for shaping and breaking in shoes comprising a frame member, a displaceable pressure receiving member secured to one end of the frame member, guide means secured to an intermediate portion of the frame member, pressure producing means at the end of the frame member opposite the pressure receiving member, and an anvil receivable in a shoe for suppgting the same and having a portion movable in the guide means and actuable by the pressure producing means to approach the pressure receiving means.

4. A shoe shaping and breaking in machine including a frame, hydraulic pressure means mounted within the frame, an anvil for supporting a shoe and movably carried by the frame and having a depending shank engageable with the hydraulic pressure means, means on the anvil to change the shape of a shoe with the application of pressure, and means movable to permit the insertion of work and cooperating with the anvil to resist the pressure applied .to the anvil by the hydraulic pressure means.

shoes comprising in combination, a supporting member, an anvil having an area to support the fore part of a shoe, said anvil being mounted on the supporting member and having openings in the working face adapted to receive one or more enlargements to adjustably position the same, a complemental member cooperating with said anvil, guide means extending normal to the anvil, and hydraulic pressure means movable in said guide means to press the sole and complemental member into contact and cause localized pressure over the enlargements.

Z. An apparatus for shaping and breaking in shoes comprising a frame member, a displaceable pressure receiving member secured at one end of the frame member, guide means secured 

